“If You Use My Name, They’ll Make Fun of Me”

The New York Times grants sources anonymity because they don’t want to be mocked for “the sumptuousness of their lives.”

By Liz Cox Barrett   Dec 28, 2005 at 08:30 AM

Our most recent award for Best Explanation for Why A Source Requested -- And Was Granted -- Anonymity in a... More

Reporters Face Bad Commute, Bad Numbers and Bad Fashion

As day two of New York City transit strike dawned, newspapers were busily “flooding the zone.” But with every “flood” of coverage comes, of course, both high and low moments.

By Liz Cox Barrett   Dec 21, 2005 at 02:58 PM

As day two of New York City transit strike dawned, the New York Times was not alone in "flooding the... More

Who Needs Facts? Flashy Headlines are Much More Fun

“House party is over,” says CNN in a headline on its Web site. But if the party’s over, the Los Angeles TImesis the annoying guest who refuses to leave. So who’s right?

By Liz Cox Barrett   Dec 8, 2005 at 07:01 PM

"House party is over," declared CNN in a headline on its Web site this morning, pointing to the UCLA Anderson... More

Talkin’ ‘Bout MySpace Generation

Last month, BusinessWeek loved baby boomers. This week, the magazine loves another demographic group — young people. But why, exactly, that’s worthy of a cover story, we’re not sure.

By Liz Cox Barrett   Dec 7, 2005 at 06:09 PM

Last month, BusinessWeek loved baby boomers. We know this because it published a cover story called "Love Those Boomers!" There... More

It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like … Some Sort of Holiday

By Liz Cox Barrett   Dec 7, 2005 at 02:59 PM

Last week, the Washington Times did some war reporting -- on the "War on Christmas," that is. Today, DC's other... More

Stan Tiner on Calling for Help in a Headline, Editing the Daily Disappointment, and Forming a “Newsroom Trust”

By Liz Cox Barrett   Dec 2, 2005 at 01:09 PM

Stan Tiner Stan Tiner has been the executive editor and vice president of the Sun Herald in Biloxi, Mississippi... More

Bribing Iraqi Editors? Hey, No Big Deal

By Liz Cox Barrett   Dec 1, 2005 at 12:41 PM

Buying the news: Big deal or no biggie? Of ongoing reports that the Pentagon hired a PR firm to offer... More

The MSM: Where Bad Reporting - and Cuteness! - Abound

In honor of our newest section, The Audit, we’ll kick off today’s Blog Report with a look at a couple of bloggers’ beefs with business reporting.

By Liz Cox Barrett   Nov 30, 2005 at 03:37 PM

In honor of our newest section, The Audit, we'll kick off today's Blog Report with a look at a couple... More

War and Teas

By Liz Cox Barrett   Nov 29, 2005 at 03:29 PM

Yes, you've seen Seymour Hersh on television talking about his latest New Yorker piece. No, this does not justify your... More

Partisan Infection Strikes Medical Coverage

News that the FDA and the CDC will next convene a “scientific meeting” to discuss the deaths of four California women who died several days after taking Mifeprex gets buried by partisan “he said / she said.”

By Liz Cox Barrett   Nov 23, 2005 at 03:18 PM

What's news: early next year the FDA and the CDC will next convene a "scientific meeting" to discuss the "medical... More

Air Traffic, Out of Control

It was a mixed blessing for cable news yesterday when a corporate jet in Oregon developed landing gear troubles soon after takeoff. The upside: dramatic live coverage sure to draw viewers — almost like a police chase in the sky! The downside: lots of airtime to fill.

By Liz Cox Barrett   Nov 22, 2005 at 07:36 PM

It was a mixed blessing for cable news yesterday when a corporate jet in Oregon developed landing gear troubles soon... More

Plenty of Access, No Intelligence

By Liz Cox Barrett   Nov 17, 2005 at 05:54 PM

With the Bush administration back in campaign mode, we were hoping that the White House press corps would not also... More

Dropping the (Soccer) Ball

By Liz Cox Barrett   Nov 16, 2005 at 04:17 PM

CJR Daily frequently laments the state of the morning network news shows. And just when we think these shows have... More

What Isn’t Reported Counts As Much As What Is

By Liz Cox Barrett   Nov 15, 2005 at 04:34 PM

Yesterday, the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office (GAO) released an investigative report describing as "unusual" the process by which the Food... More

What’s That Flushing Sound at NBC?

By Liz Cox Barrett   Nov 10, 2005 at 05:27 PM

The rules of morning television news, NBC's Katie Couric told Ken Auletta earlier this year, require -- among other things... More